Propulsion device



ug. l0, E937., G. s. rlELsoN 2,089,853

PROPULSION DEVICE F11ed sept. 11, 1956 .Fiyi

4H 6 ,ga-@w25 2 6 5 LA f j Patented Aug. l0, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in propulsion devices for pumpingliquids and for propelling boats; and the objects of my improvement are,rst, to provide more efficient and less expensive means for pumpingliquids, and for propelling boats; second, to provide means forpropelling boats in shallow water without the usual danger of damagingthe propelling device; and third to simplify pumping devices and boatpropelling mechanisms.

I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of a simple form ofthe device. y

, Figure 2 is a vertical section of a form of the device wherein certainautomatic features are incorporated.

FigureS is a vertical section on line A--A in Figures l and 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged part section through the upper and foreward partof the propulsion tube, showing stoppers 39 and 35 more in detail.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the present invention a propulsion tube I comprising an elongatedexpansion chamber 2, an elongated momentum chamber 3 which also servesas an inertia chamber, an inlet 4, an outlet 5, and a diaphragm 6, isimmersed in a liquid l. Diaphragm 6 is preferably a flexible, elasticand good insulating material.

Near the foreward, or inlet, end of tube I another tube 8, such as asteam tube, connects propulsion tube I to boiler 9. Boiler 9 is sup-Aported'by legs Ill, and is provided with a rebox II, andv is used forproducing a gas under pressure in the usual manner for boilers.

- A cutoff valve is connected in tube 8. Means such as valve I3 in fuelfeed tube I4 is provided to regulate the flow of fuel from fuelreservoir I5 to i'lrebox I I. Throttle I6 may be used to control valveI3. Similarly valve I2 may be operated by handle I'I.

:When the device is beingused for propelling a boat the intake end 4 ofthe propulsion tube I is placed foreward.

.C The device illustrated in Figure 1 will operate as follows:

l The liquid in boiler 9 is heated until a high gas pressure is createdin said boiler. Valve I2 is then opened for a moment thereby allowing aquantity of compressed gas to forcediaphragm 6 down to position 6a,thereby closing off the intake end 4 of tube I. In Figure 1 the forewardedges of diaphragm 6 are tightly attached to the upper side of expansionchamber 2 as indicated in Figure 3. As the compressed gas in expansionchamber 2 expands, diaphragm 6 will assume a series of positionsindicated successively by 6a, 6b, and 6c and the uid in tube I will 5 beforced rearward and the boat will be propelled foreward with an equalforce. The inertia of the mass of water in tube 3 will provide aneffective force to back up the propelling force in tube 2.

When the diaphragm is in position Bc in Figure l the used gas will beexhausted. Diaphragm I5 is preferably stretched tightly across the upperpart of tube 2 so that it will return more readily to its upper positionafter the gas is exhausted, thereby allowing a fresh supply of liquid tobe drawn in through intake 4. Momentum tube 3 will assist in drawing ina fresh supply of water at intake yl because the momentum of the mass ofliquid which has been caused to move rearward in tube 3 will create apartial vacuum in tube 2 and thereby draw in more liquid. When tube I isagain lled with liquid, valve I2 may again be opened for a moment andthe propelling action will be repeated. Clearly the propelling action isalso a pumping action and Where the term propulsion device is used inthis specification and the following claims, it is intended tocomprehend therpump also, since the action of the device in each case isthe same. 30

In Figure 2, diaphragm 6 is preferably attached to the upper wall oftube 2 on all edges of the diaphragm. An exhaust tube I8 connects therear end of expansion tube 2 to a condenser I9. A valve 29 is connectedin tube I8. 35

Valve I2 is operated by sprocket 2 I, valve 20 by sprocket 23, and pump25 by sprocket 22; and sprockets 2I, 22, and 23 are preferably connectedby a chain 24 in such a manner that valve 20 will be closed at themoment valve I2 opens. Means such as a paddle wheel 26 may be connectedto sprocket 2l by spokes 2'I to rotate sprockets 2I, 22, and 23 when theboat is in motion. Pump 25 is preferably used to draw the fluid up fromthe condenser through tube 28 and to force it back into boiler 9 throughtube 29. Preferably one or more elastic stopper bands such as bands 30and 35, preferably having their foreward edges beveled and free to move,and their rear ends attached either to diaphragm 6 as shown for band 3U,or to tube I as shown for band 35, are stretched tightly Vacross the topof chamber 2 at spaced distances from its front edge. Said stopper bandswill reduce the volume of the diaphragm inclosure necessary for closingoff intake 4 and will prevent excessive backflow of gas in chamber 2before intake 4 is closed. Until stopper band 3B is pulled away from itscontact with the top side of tube I, by the down- 5 ward motion ofdiaphragm 6, said stopper band will be pressed tightly against tube I bythe compressed gas in the foreward end of the expansion chamber, andpractically no gas will be allowed to pass backward until the forewardend of diaphragm 6 has expanded sufficiently to close off intake l totube I. Stopper band 35 has a similar action and function to band30,7the only difference being that the rear end of band 35 is attachedto a wall of chamber 2 instead of to diaphragm 6. This will increase theuseful back- Vward thrust of diaphragm 6. a Y f When high pressure gasis injected into tube 2 it is preferable to use a swinging, reinforcingbacking 3|, attached to the top foreward edge of tube 2, to support theforeward wall of diaphragm 6 against bursting. Y

The device illustrated in Figure 2 will operate similar to the oneillustrated in Figure 1 except for the following. lThe exhaust gas fromtube 2 will be transmitted through tube I8 to condenser I9 where the gasWill be condensed to a liquid and pumped through tubes- 28 and 29 backinto boiler 9 where it willbe reused.

The action of the device may be started by y30 turning sprocket 2I byhand, or by other means,

trolled by throttle `I6 because the faster the fuel.

is supplied to thehrebox the greater will be the pressure in the boiler.To reverse the motion of the boat it is obvi ously only necessary toprovide a system of tubes l that will inject the gas flowing throughvalve I2 into tube 2 through tube I8 and that will exhaust the gas fromtube 2'to tube 8 on up through valveZ. Y .Y

In the drawing 32 isthe floor, 33 the bottom, and 34 the back of theboat, or ofthe container for the device. Y 4 Y Due to the fact thatdiaphragm" 6 and the top of chamber 2 may be made of good insulatingmaterial the heat loss of the compressed gas will be small. In thedevice illustrated in Figure 2, where there is no lossof boiler fluid, auid having a low boiling point, and low heat of vaporization may be usedto advantage. Y The size of chamber 3 may be made to contain a quantityof water of such mass-'as will utilize the energy from tube 2 mostefficiently. To explain more fully, if chamber 3 ismade too short, themass of the water therein will be so l'small that it will be forced outtoo rapidly for ecient propulsion at ordinary boat speeds; and ifchamber 3 is made teo long the water friction against `the walls of thetube vwill be excessive.'Y f f It willv be observed that very fewoperating parts are necessary inthe present invention and the mechanicallosses ordinarilyuaccompanying the use of screw propellers with gasoleneor steam engines are entirely avoided.

My propulsion device owes its increased-effif c iency over presentpropulsion mechanisms chiefly to the features mentioned above. Becauseof its simplicity it will be inexpensive to make.

It is also evident that tube I may be made to` extend a considerablyshorter distance below the bottom of the boat than is required by anordinary propeller blade. For this reason a boat equipped with mypropulsion ldevice may be made to navigate in shallower water than isordinarily possible for small boats. Furthermore my propulsion tube willnot be as damageable as the ordinary screw propeller. Y

No batteries or electric ignition system is necessary to this device.

It is not my intention to limit my device toI the specic form shown anddescribed in this application since other forms involving the sameinvention will suggest themselves upon reading the abovespecication.

Having described my invention what I now claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube comprising an expansionchamber having an inertia chamber joined thereto, a diaphragm disposedsubstantially across Vthe expansion chamber and having its forewardedges tightly attached thereto whereby said chamber is divided intoV aplurality of longitudinal sections, a stopper band having one edgeattached to the diaphragm and having a beveled free moving edge, saidstopper band being disposed substantially across the eX- pansion chambera spaced distance from its ends, means whereby a compressed gas may beperiodically injected into one section of the expansion chamber, andmeans whereby the gas'may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.V

2. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube comprising Aan expansionchamber. having an inertia chamber joined thereto;a diaphragm disposedsubstantially across the expansion chamber and having all'its edgestightly attached thereto whereby said chamber is divided into aplurality of longitudinal sections, a stopper band having one edgeattached `to the diaphragmand having a beveled free moving edge, saidstopper band being disposed substantially across the expansion chamber aspaced distance from its ends, means whereby a compressed Vgas may beperiodically injected into oneY section ofthe expansion chamber, an-dmeans wherebythe gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.

3. In a propulsion device Va propulsion tube having an expansionchamber, a diaphragm disposed substantially across the expansion chamberand having its forward edges tightly attached'thereto whereby saidchamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, a stopperAband having one edge attached to the diaphragm andV having a beveledfree moving edge, .said stopper band being disposed substantially acrossthe expansion chamber a spaced distance from its ends, means whereby acompressed gas may be periodically injected into one section of theexpansion chamber, and means whereby the gas may be exhausted from theexpansion chamber. j i

4. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube'having an expansion chamber,a diaphragm disposed substantially across the expansion chamber andhaving its foreward edges tightly attached thereto whereby said chamberis divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, means whereby acompressed gas may be periodically injected into the forward portion ofone section of 'the expansion chamber, whereby the expansive action ofthe diaphragm will first close off said portion of the expansion chamberand thereafter force the liquid in the expansion chamber rearward assaid diaphragm continues to expand progressively rearward, and meanswhereby the gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.

5. In a propulsion device a. propulsion tube comprising an expansionchamber having an inertia chamber joined thereto, means whereby theexpansion chamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections,means whereby a compressed gas may be periodically injected into theforward portion of one section of the expansion chamber, whereby theexpansive action of the diaphragm will rst close off said portion of theexpansion chamber and thereafter force the liquid in the expansionchamber rearward as said diaphragm continues to expand progressivelyrearward, and means whereby the gas may be exhausted from the expansionchamber.

6. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube having an expansion chamber,'elastic means whereby the expansion chamber is divided into a pluralityof longitudinal sections, means whereby compressed gas may beperiodically injected into the forward portion of one section of theexpansion chamber, whereby the expansive action of the elastic dividingmeans will rst close oif said portion of the expansion chamber andthereafter force the liquid in the expansion chamber rearward as saidelastic dividing means continues to expand progressively rearward, andmeans whereby the gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.

'7. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube having an expansionchamber, a diaphragm disposed substantially across the expansion chamberand having its foreward edges tightly attached thereto whereby saidchamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, a stopperband having one edge attached to the wall of the expansion chamber andhaving a beveled free moving edge, said stopper band being disposedsubstantially across the expansion chamber a spaced distance from itsends, means whereby a compressed gas may be periodically injected intoone section of the expansion chamber, and means whereby the gas may beexhausted from the expansion chamber.

GEORGE S. NELSON.

